CREATURES of the 20th century, the three marshals of globalisation appear out of step with the world today. It is true that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, celebrating their 75th anniversary this year, have succeeded in their topmost mission: there has been no global depression since they were founded.
The World Trade Organisation (WTO), nearing its silver jubilee in a few months, has tried dutifully to perform as a forum for negotiating trade agreements and settling disputes. But a key question insistently nips at their heels: Can these three organisations carry the world through the next crisis?